FreeNnamdiKanuNowProtest: Chaos erupts in Abuja as police arrest Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and lawyer during protests demanding the IPOB leader’s release. Get the latest updates.
FreeNnamdiKanuNowProtest escalated in Abuja on Monday, October 20, as security forces arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, during a demonstration led by activist Omoyele Sowore. The protest, organized to demand the release of the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, quickly turned chaotic as police moved in on peaceful demonstrators.
Eyewitnesses reported that police operatives used live ammunition and teargas to disperse protesters around the Maitama and Central Business District areas. The demonstration, which began peacefully, descended into panic as gunshots rang out, forcing people to flee and causing major traffic disruptions. Videos shared online showed demonstrators running for safety as security operatives fired sporadically into the air.
Sowore confirmed the arrests on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalise #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor, alongside innocent bystanders. They were beaten and taken to the FCT Command. The police must release them immediately!”
Ahead of the protest, police authorities had declared certain areas in Abuja as “no-protest zones,” citing a Federal High Court order. Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin reiterated that rallies were prohibited around sensitive government locations, including Aso Rock, the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way. He emphasized the need for all groups to comply with the subsisting court order.
Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, facing terrorism-related charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Despite several court rulings ordering his release, the federal government has not complied. Activists, including Sowore, argue that Kanu’s continued detention violates human rights and disregards judicial authority.
The FreeNnamdiKanuNowProtest highlights ongoing tensions in Abuja, with security forces clashing with demonstrators and the city experiencing significant disruptions as calls for Kanu’s release grow louder.